Whether or not open world PVP works is entirely dependent on how it is implemented.

I play another game, Wurm, which has open world PVP. The graphics are much cruder than Xsyon, but in a lot of ways is it similar, even superior to what Xsyon will likely be at release - it's been around a while with lots of features and depth that have been added over time. Open world PVP works fine in Wurm on the Wild server. As long as you either set up your home in a out of the way place, or settle in an established community, you are rarely exposed to PVP because it takes for friggin ever to find the hiders, and attacking a town with decent fighters in it is a long and drawn out affair. Days, or even weeks, for a well defended town to be worn down.

It remains to be seen how well terraforming and village defenses stack up against terraforming and siegers in Xsyon. It remains to be seen how large of a bloodletter community is drawn here.

If you want to be in the center of things, AND be a crafter, you are almost certainly going to need to join a strong faction that can protect you mostly by reputation. A strong faction will need strong crafters to manufacture the goodies required to beat on their enemies and build their fortifications.

Don't write off the game if you get ganked a couple times. You likely will while the community settles in and people learn the fighting system and start crafting skill gains for weapons and armor. If the people you work with can't offer protection after a couple weeks of live, at that point you will probably want to either take up pvp skills to protect yourself as best as you can, or seek out a stronger PVP group that needs your crafting skills and is willing to put up with a carebear in their midst. :laugh: